The banana diaries

Let's get real.

For me, rest days are still tough. Yes, I know how important it is to take a break from working out, especially at the level that I do; without giving my body proper rest, I am more prone to injuries (re: my history in the ortho doc's office for stress fractures...they know me by name now), burnout, and plateauing.

So, why is it still hard for me to let my body rest?

Let me get you up to speed on my weekend. On Saturday morning, my boyfriend and I slept in, made banana pancakes, and lounged around the apartment. To say that it was wonderful is an understatement. I didn't set an alarm (I know, crazy challenging to my OCD) so that I could gage when my body was actually ready to wake up. I woke up a bit earlier than he did, so I ran (read: walked) to the store to pick up some bananas and whipped up some of my "famous" paleo-banana pancakes using coconut oil, eggs, bananas, and cinnamon, and topped them with walnuts.

Around 1:00 pm, we started to make our way down to the ferry, where we walked around a bit and enjoyed the Seaport District. It was actually such a treat to take the ferry over to DUMBO instead of taking a subway- especially on such a beautiful day!

We spent the afternoon in DUMBO wandering around the photography festival. Every photographer or group of photographers had their own storage crate, where they set up all of their work. We saw some pretty incredible, emotional, and raw pieces.

After visiting each unit, we decided to make our way home to cook dinner and relax before meeting up with some family for drinks and ice cream (you better know by now that we went to Van Leeuwen Ice Cream of course haha!). It was an absolutely wonderful day, and I wouldn't change it for anything. But there was something in the back of my mind.

I didn't work out nor did I count calories.

Though there were moments when I was fully present and enjoying myself, I still had this nagging voice in the back of my head: You didn't run today, and you're lazy for that. Why aren't you counting calories? How will you know if you're eating too much?

I knew my body needed rest. I had run a race the weekend before and every day since, and I had started taking my design courses right after a full day of work every day last week. I was going from 5:00 am till 11:00 pm everyday and was down right exhausted, so deep down, I knew that my body was crying for a break. But my mind wouldn't give.

Instead, I spent part of the day feeling guilty for giving my body what it deserved and needed. That in itself is exhausting. Granted, I used to spend a lot more of my day focused on these two things, so the fact that I'm able to now get it down to brief moments is a huge milestone of success. But my body still felt tired, and I believe it's because my mind couldn't relax. I couldn't accept that I'm not considered lazy for taking one day off of exercise. I couldn't accept that I didn't need to count calories, because guess who the best counter is? My own damn body. It will tell me exactly what I need, how much I need, and when I need it if I trust my own system instead of letting my mind take over.

The mind is a powerful entity, but if I tell it to relax, then I can finally let my body do its job in taking care of itself so that ultimately, my mind can function properly. I'm sure we all can relate to this when I say that my mind loves control and thinks that it knows everything. Well, it doesn't. In fact, the more it thinks it knows and the more it tries to control everything, the more my body and soul become prone to messing up.

Do I wish that I could have shut my mind up on Saturday and let myself enjoy my rest day, sans worries about calories and laziness? Absolutely. But, am I mad at myself for not being worry-free? Of course not. This is an ongoing process of growth, one in which I am seeing improvements in myself everyday. This upcoming week, when I take my rest day, I am aiming to not worry about the calories or whether or not I am lazy for resting because the true Britt knows that I am not. I always strive to be kind to everyone, but the one person I really need to be kind to is myself. I need to be gentler to myself.

So today, take care of you. Be kind to you. Because we all deserve our own kindness.

Hey, kids. What's up?

How's everyone doing this Wednesday morning? Just finished up a short speed-workout on the treadmill, and now I'm munching on some apple slices topped with cinnamon :) It's almost fall, right?! (i.e. IT'S TOMORROW!! WOO!)

To kick off this lovely, crisp season, I decided to try out another one of Shalane and Elyse's wonderful and nutritious recipes from their new cookbook, Run Fast. Eat Slow: Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies!!

Once again, I was not disappointed!! These breakfast cookies contain some of the most basic ingredients, yet are somehow so. freaking. good. It's like the season of fall all baked into one delicious, chewy, soft, and sweet treat!

The main ingredient? You guessed it. SWEET POTATO! These little super spuds are chock full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory goodness. Also filled with loads of beta-carotene (that lovely Vitamin A and orange hue), sweet potatoes are great at regulating blood sugar, so despite their semi-sweet disposition (and their nomenclature), you won't feel a crash after noshing on one!

Thanks again, Shalane and Elyse! You guys rock!

The other day, I was perusing The Iron You, ​Mike's blog, and came across his latest recipe for Lentil Bolognese! I was inspired, so I decided to adapt it for myself!

Lentils are another excellent food for runners (and our non-meat-eating friends!), as they provide a great source of calcium, zinc, potassium, and Vitamin K! A.K.A. you need these little guys for bone strength! Goodbye, stress fractures :) Check out my recipe adaptation!

Happy Monday!!

I'm still feeling hyped from the race yesterday. Man, was it so much fun!

On Sunday morning, 7:00 am, I ran the RUN10FEED10 10k sponsored by Women's Health Magazine. It was absolutely incredible. The inspiration behind the name is simple: run a 10k, feed 10 families within the local area. How cool is that?! That way, you get to impact not only a national foundation, but help your local community. And I was certainly feeling the community love yesterday. Here are some pics from the race :)

Taken at 6 am...the moon is still out... I got up at 5:00 am, got my gear together, and was out the door by 5:30 am. I arrived to Pier 84 just before 6:00 am, and there were already people ready to check in and warm up. It was crazy!

Ready to go :)

"Can I get a picture of you?" "I haven't had coffee, but sure..."

The count down begins. Above, the Editors of Women's Health Magazine. At this point, I was feeling the nerves. I hadn't run a race since God knows when, so at this point I was just trying to tell myself, it's just a run. You're just doing it with 999 people. (Actually, I think the total count was 1,020. Yep. That's a lot of peeps).

Overall, it was an incredible race, and I feel so lucky and grateful to have run it. It was filled with tons of inspirational and wonderful people. I would 100% do it again next year, but right now, I want to focus on another half marathon! Any suggestions for those?!

Have a lovely day :) If any of you have run the RUN10FEED10 in another city, how was it?!

It's finally that time of year.

Yes, that's right. It's PUMPKIN SEASON!

Now, I'm not one to be mistaken for a PSL lover (for those of you who are, my apologies), but I do enjoy my fair share of pumpkin treats during this lovely fall season :) I'm a big fan of pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, butternut squash soup, toasted seeds, pumpkin smoothies (yes, that's a thing, and I cannot wait to share my recipe with you!)...the list goes on!

So you can imagine that I was VERY excited to find my favorite bar, RxBar, came out with a seasonal Pumpkin Spice flavor!

Oh. Em. Gee.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but this may even beat out my all-time favorite flavor, dark chocolate sea salt. The Pumpkin Spice bar instantly reminds me of fall- just by the smell of it! It also tastes like you're biting into pumpkin pie, so how could you not like it?!

I may or may not be ordering several boxes...whoops. Not sorry bout it.

In other news, this morning was a quick treadmill run, followed by a BBG Week 6 workout! This was my last run before my race on Sunday- I'm so excited!! So ready for the weekend- bring it on :)

Have a wonderful Friday!

Hello Beautiful People!!

It's Hump Day, and I'm powering through this week.

On Monday, I celebrated my birthday with family, friends, and coworkers, and it was absolutely wonderful! After starting off the day with a nice 5-mile run and lift session, I walked into work and was greeted by a big announcement on the lobby screen that said it was my birthday! Everyone stopped by my desk all day to wish me a happy birthday :) It was so sweet!

After work, my boyfriend and I went out to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Spring Natural Kitchen (formerly Spring Street Natural!)! If you want a good meal and a lot of it, then go hear, because this place knows how to make healthy, delicious food and does NOT skimp on servings!! I had the hardest time choosing what to eat because there are so many good options, you can't go wrong! To start we shared the special Spinach salad and the rainbow quinoa bowl.

I then got the seaweed rice bowl under the vegan section, but I really had a craving for meat, so they topped mine with some grilled chicken :)

Yes, I had it two nights in a row. NOT SORRY BOUT IT! After dinner and ice cream, we met up with my friends for drinks and even MORE dessert! My friends surprised me with Gluten-Free Baked by Melissa Cupcakes and BabyCakes cookies!! Dessert round-two was a go, and I was alllllll about it! Of course, they were devoured before I remembered to take a picture :( But just know that they were AMAZING!

Thank you to all who wished me a happy birthday! This was one of my favorite birthdays yet, and I'm so grateful and lucky for everyone in my life. You guys rock :)

Before I go, here's a new recipe!! It's my Superfood Overnight Oats Bowl! Made with cinnamon, turmeric, chia seeds, and maca powder, this bowl is just what I need to refuel after a long run and get me through my day :) It's also so simple- prep the night before and simply stir in the morning and enjoy! Check it out below!

Superfood Overnight Oats

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1/3 cup GF oats

2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 small banana, mashed

1/2 tsp Turmeric

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp maca powder

1/2 tbsp chia seeds​

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl the night before.

Cover and store in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, stir the oats and top with your favorite toppings! I like homemade almond butter :) Enjoy!

Nutrition Info without toppings!

​Happy Wednesday, everyone!! Until next time!

Who's birthday is today?!My birthday is today!!​WOO!

Today is going to be a short post, but I'll be sure to fill you in on all of the festivities tomorrow! Last night, I went to Cafe Clover with my family, boy friend, and best friend, and it was the best! Literally one of my favorite restaurants. I've been there 5 times since I've moved to NYC (and yes, I've only been here about a month and a half...sorry not sorry).

If you get a chance, seriously stop by. Whenever I go with my boy friend or friends, we always get the choice of 3 market salads (you get to choose 3 salads to share! THREE!), which usually consists of the Beet Salad, the Market Greens, and the seasonal Watermelon Salad. You can't go wrong with any of them, but these are just my favorites :)

Photo from @cafeclovernyc

On the side, they always serve these awesome seed crackers (that are completely GF- Glutenoids rejoice) along with a seasonal hummus! For the main, you have to try the cauliflower steak. It is absolutely fantastic! Served with a fresh kale and pickled cauliflower salad and topped with a yummy romesco sauce, you'll find it hard not to finish it! We also love the strip steak, burger, and chickpea spaghetti (though this is important: the spaghetti is not 100% GF, though it is pretty close! It gives me a stomachache because of the minor traces of gluten, but for me, it's totally worth a bite!). Check this baby out:

Photo by @cafeclovernyc

Of course, the meal was finished off with Van Leeuwen Ice cream- naturally. I got a big sundae with vegan dark chocolate ice cream, vegan peanut butter chocolate chip, sprinkles, and hot fudge. When it comes to dessert, I don't mess around.

I also made some yummy homemade almond butter this weekend! Using it to top all of my smoothie bowls, yogurts, fruits, and spoons (whoops...still not sorry). Check out my easy recipe for almond butter here!

Oh yeah. I'm about that creaminess.

It's hard to beat the satisfaction I get from the first bite of homemade almond butter. Ice cream may come close actually...

That's it for now!! Have a wonderful Monday, and I'll be back tomorrow to fill you in on the festivities and celebrations!

Good morning and Happy Wednesday!

We're halfway through the week! And guess what?! 5 days till this chick's birthday. Woo! I cannot wait!

I was very busy yesterday, giving two of Run Fast, Eat Slow's recipes a test-run (forgive the pun...except maybe not). And I have to say, I am not the least bit disappointed. In fact, I was pretty amazed. First, I made the Superhero muffins (slightly modified), and while those were baking, I threw together the Moroccan Lentil Salad. Both of these recipes can be found here on Runner's World Magazine, or by simply buying the book here!

These muffins were deceivingly easy to make and soooo satisfying! I swapped out the ghee for coconut oil (because that's all that I had on hand), but I definitely think it would have had a more buttery and yummy taste to it had I used the ghee (though the coconut oil was not a bad option!). I'm so excited to munch on these guys as a snack at work all week long!

Oh yeah, baby.

It was a perfect intro into fall :) Thanks, Shalane and Elyse! I also made the Moroccan Lentil Salad, which was absolutely delicious! Instead of using the spice, however, I made my own using Turmeric, Cumin, and Cayenne Red Pepper. Drizzle on that Apple Cider Vinaigrette and you have yourself a wonderful power meal :)

Next on the list of recipes to try will be more of the smoothies and the meatballs!

I also threw together a really fast salad before running out to do errands yesterday afternoon, and I think you might want to give this one a go ;)

It's my Kale Power Salad! Made with Kale (le duh), arugula, spinach, a myriad of veggies (including Brussels sprouts, asparagus, mushrooms, and onions), I topped it off with olives, chickpeas, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, EVOO, and some good ol' salt and pepper (try Pink Himalayan Sea Salt- it's the best!). Let me know what you think in the comments below, and have a wonderful day!

Kale Power Salad

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 cup kale

1 cup arugula

1 cup spinach

Veggies of your choice to sauté

1/2 cup chickpeas, rinsed

1/4 cup olives

1 tbsp EVOO + more for sautéing

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Salt + pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat a small sauté pan on medium with the EVOO. Add veggies to cook.

While cooking, arrange the kale, arugula, and spinach in a large bowl or on a plate.

Once the veggies are cooked, top over the bed of mixed greens.

Add the chickpeas, olives, vinegar, and more EVOO. Sprinkle on the salt + pepper.

Toss and enjoy!

Until next time, kids!

Hey, kids!

Welcome back from the long weekend! How was your Labor Day? My weekend was filled with lots of exploring, walking around the city, and catching up with old friends. Not a bad way to kick off the lovely month of September (side note: my birthday is in t-minus 6 days!!).

There was a lot of going out to eat, but there was a lot of cooking too!

Check out this bad boy. Steamed asparagus, mushrooms, onions, broccoli, and red cabbage over a bed of arugula and mesclun, topped with olive oil, sea salt, cumin, and apple cider vinegar. Underneath that little red cabbage leaf, there was salmon mixed with yams, and on the side, a small baked sweet potato topped with olive oil and cinnamon. And yes, I ate every. last. bite.

Of course, no weekend is complete without a trip to Van Leewuen's! I got the vegan dark chocolate and vegan peanut butter chocolate chip, topped with hot fudge and sprinkles (because I am 5-years-old at heart). It was incredible. I wish that my cup was bottomless and I could just keep going. But alas, my stomach felt otherwise haha!

Now that the weekend is over and everyone getting back to the grind, I wanted to share my Kale-Berry smoothie with you guys!

Made with bananas (of course), strawberries, almond butter, almond milk, and kale, it's a simple smoothie that gets the job done. Kale is one of those foods that is extremely high in iron, making it a great source for our vegan friends out there! It's also high in calcium too, which is essential for bone strength (alluding to my stress fractures again...damn weak bones). Adding in the almond butter is extremely important, as it allows the calcium and iron to be digested, so if you're not a fan of almond butter or have a nut allergy, I would suggest adding coconut oil or sunflower seed butter!

It's Friyay!

Woo woo! I don't know about you, but I am very excited for the long weekend! Time to relax, do some exploring, and enjoy some time off! How was everyone's week so far? I feel like mine went by really quickly this time around. There was a lot to do, but it was all enjoyable!

So I have something really exciting (at least to me) to share! This week, I finally ordered "Run Fast, Eat Slow," by Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky. To say that I am STOKED is an understatement.

Ever since I ran cross-country in high school, Shalane Flanagan has been my role model, both in life and in running. When I saw that she released a cookbook with her long-time friend and former teammate, I had to get it. And believe me, this book will not disappoint.

The first few chapters are spent going over what it means to eat naturally, and how to best fuel our bodies for not only running, but for life. What I love the most about this book is that they emphasize the importance of "indulgent nourishment." That means that we should not restrict, but rather feed and nourish our bodies with yummy, simple, and natural ingredients: avocado, coconut oil, organic fruits and veggies, grass-fed meat, nuts and seeds, and so much more. As a runner, I remember growing up thinking that less is more when it came to food, even while I was putting crazy mileage on my body. This led to extreme stress fractures in both legs (more on that later!) and being sidelined for not just months, but years. So when I say that I am truly excited about this cookbook, I mean it. Nutrition is one of, if not, the most important part of training, and a lot of the time, we tend to overlook it, myself included. With this book, I intend on trying every recipe! While I won't share the recipes (because you should go support these amazing women too!), I will let you know what I think of them!

So excited!

Now, before I go, I do want to share a quick recipe I came up with myself! Here is one of my quick weeknight meals: zoodles and marinara! As a kid, there was nothing more comforting (to me) than a big bowl of pasta with marinara sauce! Here's my adult version of my favorite childhood meal :) Enjoy!